Perception and use of fauna resources in communities surrounding a
conservation unit in northeast Brazil.

Introduction

Biodiversity conservation is currently an area of much debate. Its
varied approaches are also in the spotlight, given that biological
communities, which took millions of years to evolve, are being
devastated by human activities worldwide (PRIMACK, 2000). Threats to
biodiversity are accelerated by the demand of a rapid increase in the
human population and the consumption of biological material (CULLEN et
al., 2004). This is aggravated by the unequal distribution of these
natural resources, especially in many tropical countries such as Brazil,
which have high species diversity.

The poor use of Caatinga resources has caused irreversible damage
in this biome. Desertification already affects 15% of the area and the
consequences of years of predatory extractivism are visible in the
irretrievable loss of flora and fauna diversity (SCHOBER, 2002). In
recent years rural landowners have become increasingly interested in
turning part of their properties into protected areas, mainly to
preserve the natural environment. However, the number of Conservation
Units (CUs) in the Caatinga is still very low (SILVA et al., 2004).

The Serido Ecological Station (Serido ESEC) is one of the CUs in
the state of Rio Grande do Norte. It is near an agricultural property
and there are many communities within its buffer zone that use its
natural resources, often extensively.

The population around the Conservation Units was established before
these areas were created. They have their own way of using and handling
native and introduced species and their empirical indigenous knowledge
is often unknown to the scientific community (TUAN, 1980). This is
useful in their daily lives and generally influences the adequate
functioning of these Conservation Units.

Tuan (1980) identifies elements that bring people closer to their
environment, such as esthetic appreciation, physical contact, health,
topophilia, familiarity and patriotism.

Environmental Perception is a research tool used in Educational,
Social and Environmental fields to improve the quality of life of people
and nature (MARIN et al., 2003). It is also used with other areas of
learning to recover and analyze local knowledge and better understand
the people-environment relationship.

The concept of Environmental Perception used in this study is the
same as that proposed by MAB/Unesco: "A conscious decision and
understanding by man of the environment in a wider sense, involving more
than individual sensory perception such as vision or hearing"
(WHYTE, 1978).

Environmental Perception and Ethnozoology concepts were used in
this study to better understand the relationship of man with animals and
its perceptions. According to Rocha-Mendes et al. (2005), ethnozoology
is the way different populations perceive, classify and understand
animal resources.

The interdependence of humans with other natural biotic elements is
explained in the biophilia hypothesis described by Wilson (1984) and
cited by Santos-Fita and Costa-Neto (2007). It suggests that 99% of
man's evolutionary history is intimately connected to other living
beings and that humans have an instinctive bond with other species on
the planet. The connection varies between attraction, aversion,
admiration and indifference and has evolved into a significant
information system on environmental species. This is demonstrated by the
knowledge, beliefs and cultural practices related to fauna in each area.

Environmental perception and ethnozoology concepts were used in
this study to analyze the use of fauna native to the Rio Grande do Norte
Caatinga by communities around the Serido Ecological Station.

Material and methods

Study area

The Serido Ecological Station (Serido ESEC) is located in Serra
Negra do Norte, Rio Grande do Norte State, in a Caatinga area of
1,166.38 ha between 6[degrees]35' S and 37[degrees]15' W
(Figure 1). It was formed by Decree Law 87222 on May 31st, 1982.

The Serido ESEC is a relevant area for determining proper
management and effective biodiversity preservation. It is the object of
studies on biodiversity, geographic distribution and characterization of
the main plant standards in the Serido Caatinga in Rio Grande do Norte
State, Brazil. It is also home to many animal species some of these are
newly registered and/or endemic to the region. The area is a reference
for studies on the fauna and flora of the Caatinga in semi-arid Rio
Grande do Norte, since it is the only completely protected CU in the
region and relies on interaction with the surrounding population.

Methodology and data collection

A preliminary exploratory study was carried out of the Serido ESEC
and its immediate surroundings. The CU was visited to select communities
and people over 18 years old living in the area around the Station for
interviews (Figure 1).

A research instrument was then created, based on environmental
perception principals proposed by Whyte (1978) and Tuan (1980) and used
in studies of Conservation Units (MAROTI et al., 2000; SANTOS et al.,
2000; SILVA, 2006). It consisted of a questionnaire with open and closed
questions to characterize the interviewees.

Participants were randomly selected and an effort was made to
interview at least one person from each household in selected
communities to achieve a complete profile of the relationship between
the communities and fauna resources.

Data were collected from September 2007 to May 2008 with a mean of
one week-long monthly visit to each community. Return visits were made
in the following months to houses that were found closed. Subjects were
interviewed one at a time, questions were answered individually and the
answers were recorded by the same researcher. This method was used to
establish intimacy with the interviewees and allow them to talk about
their lives, experiences and ideas.

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

The vernacular terms cited by 92 interviewees were transcribed in
their scientific names using Pough et al. (2003) for vertebrates and
Rupert et al. (2005) for invertebrates. The identification was supported
by consulting a specialist on local fauna.

The information was then simplistically analyzed (percentages) to
retrieve the necessary data. Answers were classified into categories for
respective uses, number of citations and scientific classification of
each animal. The official endangered species lists from the Ministry of
the Environment and the World Health Organization (OMS CID-10) were also
consulted to classify the diseases treated when animals were cited as
having medicinal properties.

Results and discussion

Only one (0.7%) of the 92 participants interviewed had no knowledge
of any animal in the Serido ESEC.

The others identified one or more native animals with a total of
514 (five hundred and fourteen) citations and 58 (fifty-eight) of these
were different animals. Species not native to the Caatinga were excluded
from this study.

The vernacular zoological classification is how humans perceive,
identify and use the animals considering the traditions and perceptions
of each culture (BEGOSSI, 1993; RAZERA et al., 2006). The animals most
noticed and identified by residents were those they felt a utility or
emotional affinity with.

Citations by interviewees in this study were classified into seven
zoological groups: Birds (32%), Mammals (29%), Reptiles (19%), Insects
(12%), Amphibians (3%), Arachnids (3%) and Fish (2%) (Figure 2). These
results show that vertebrates are identified more than invertebrates,
confirming the findings of Silva (2006) and Razera et al. (2006). The
authors report that larger, more useful animals that have more daily
contact with communities are more easily perceived.

[FIGURE 2 OMITTED]

Mammals were identified in seven different vernacular names,
'reptiles' in 11 and birds in 18. Amphibians were cited 8
times and the two animals identified were: frogs (89%) and Leptodactylus
ocellatus (type of toad) (11%). Both of these belong to the Anura taxon
(Table 1). Although they are abundant in the area, spotted tree frogs
were not reported. This is probably owing to the fact that they are
arboreal and not part of the communities' daily lives. Fish were
only mentioned by name once and invertebrates, identified here as
insects and arachnids, were cited 19 times and classified into 9
vernacular groups (Table 1). Although invertebrates are smaller than
fish they are more present in the daily lives of people in areas of
natural vegetation such as the Serido ESEC. Studies by Costa-Neto,
(2000) and Silva (2006) show that land animals, such as birds and
mammals and even invertebrates such as insects, are cited more often
than fish.

The rhea was the animal most mentioned by the population, with 58
citations. It is followed by the snake with 57 citations, the sex-banded
armadillo with 52, the (true) armadillo with 43, and the fox with 41.
These data are confirmed by the fact that the animals are a significant
presence in the daily life of the population. They are also large
animals and in the case of rheas and foxes, as well as frequently
invading residential property, are used as food, medicine or both (Table
1).

Of the 5 (five) mammal taxa, carnivores were the most cited (34%)
followed by Didelphimorphia (24%). The mammal most identified was the
sex-banded armadillo (Order Xenarthra). This finding corroborates Silva
(2006), who found that carnivores were the most cited animals, given
that they have more contact with people, and are often used as food
(RAZERA et al., 2006) and in the treatment of disease (ALMEIDA;
ALBUQUERQUE, 2002).

The most cited vernacular names for birds were from 13 (thirteen)
taxa. The most cited were Passeriformes (45%), followed by Falconiformes
and Columbiformes with 11% each (Table 1). The rhea (Struthioniformes)
was the most identified animal with 58 citations, representing 31% of
the birds cited (Table 1). It is the largest bird in and around the
Serido ESEC, appears often on properties and is also used as food and
medicine. Another important factor in citing the rhea is that is was
previously extinct in the region and was re-introduced when the ESEC was
established in the area.

Amphibians from the Anura taxon were cited 8 times and the animal
most identified was the frog with 87% (7) of citations. It was followed
by Leptodactylus ocellatus (type of toad) with 13% (1 citation).
Amphibians were not often cited, as interviewees reported feeling
aversion for them and did not consider them useful. These animals are
also rare during the dry seasons, when most interviews were carried out.

The most frequently identified reptile was the snake with 57
citations (Table 1). A well as being cited as the most useful animal by
participants, they were also feared and respected by the interviewees.

In the invertebrate group, spiders were the most mentioned at 33%.
Insects (Blattarie, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Hemiptera and
Ortoptera) were the most cited taxon at 63%, followed by Arachnida
(Spiders and Scorpions) with 12 citations. The invertebrates identified
by interviewees, such as spiders and scorpions, generally appear in
homes. These animals are also most cited in ethnozoology studies using
the perception of traditional populations (ROCHA-MENDES et al., 2005;
SANTOS-FITA; COSTA-NETO, 2007).

Identified uses for fauna resources

There were four use categories identified by interviewed residents
(Figure 3). The first category (Table 1) was the most mentioned with 53%
of citations and corresponds to nothing and/or to nature (Figure 3).

[FIGURE 3 OMITTED]

This occurs because many participants stated that animals not used
as food and/or treatment for diseases served no purpose or only
nature-related purposes.

The second use category most mentioned by participants was number 2
(Table 1), human food, with 34% of citations (Figure 3). The animals
most mentioned such as the sex-banded armadillo, rhea and (true)
armadillo are widely used as food by the studied population. This
category is also the most identified in other studies where food is
included in the uses investigated (SILVA, 2006; RAZERA et al., 2006).

Animals with medicinal properties identified by participants belong
to five taxa. Reptiles were the most mentioned and the vernacular name
with the highest number of medicinal uses was the snake, with six
treatments identified (Table 2). Alves et al. (2007) found similar
results that indicate snakes were used to treat muscular pain, rheumatic
diseases and others. Although the fox was cited for five treatments in
this study, it was not cited for medicinal use in other similar studies
(ALMEIDA; ALBUQUERQUE, 2002; COSTA-NETO; RESENDE, 2004; SILVA, 2006).

The diseases cited by residents that were treated with medicinal
animals were classified according to WHO (World Health Organization)
guidelines. Those most cited were osteomuscular and conjunctive tissue
disorders such as back pain and rheumatism, with 28% of citations
(Figure 4). Second were lesions, poisoning and other externally caused
disorders such as snake bites and general cuts, with 24% of citations.
Respiratory disease (colds, flu and sinusitis) received 20% of citations
(Figure 4).

[FIGURE 4 OMITTED]

Animals such as the pit viper, which are often cited for medicinal
use, are endemic to Caatingas (Eliza Maria Xavier Freire). Other animals
cited for food, such as the margay and anteater, are listed as
endangered species in Brazil by the Ministry for the Environment. The
population is largely unaware of the threat to these species. They may
change their attitude if the need to protect the survival of these
threatened species was explained. Other studies have found that this is
especially true in conservation areas (SANTOS, 2000).

Conclusion

The animals most mentioned by the participants were large animals
that were more useful to the community (for food and medicine) and more
visible during the day. Food and medicinal uses are significant in poor
areas, but these communities also maintain cultural and traditional
uses. Local knowledge was rich and many native Caatinga species were
identified by the population, demonstrating that studies such as this
one recover traditions. This may be a starting point for a partnership
between the local and scientific communities and directors to properly
manage and preserve the Serido ESEC.

These communities demonstrate a tradition of rational use of the
medicines identified. These may supplement pharmacological studies for
the use of animals in medicine. Alternative animals that are more
numerous and not threatened may also be used instead of the endangered
animals that are more widely used as medicines, allowing for the
sustainable use of animal resources.

DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v32i4.5668

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the residents around the Serido
ESEC for their contributions and information used in this study. We also
thank Professor Adalberto Antonio Varela Freire for assisting with the
identification of the species in the study.